Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is responsible for the majority of Streptococcal illnesses. An organism of particular interest is S. pyogenes, which is implicated in a wide range of non-invasive and invasive infections, such as impetigo, pharyngitis, necrotizing fasciitis, bacteraemia, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), pneumonia and rheumatic fever.
Some GAS infections can be treated with antibiotics, including penicillin and erythromycin. However, due to the problems associated with resistance to antibiotics, and antibiotic-allergic patients, there is a need for further therapeutics which may be useful in treating of preventing GAS infection.